Education
Immigration: Ex-Rivers governor, Odili, on EFCC watch list, passport seized
Former Rivers Governor, Dr Peter Odili, is on the watch list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Immigration Service, (has said.
The NIS stated this on Wednesday in response to a suit filed by Odili challenging the seizure of his international passport by the service.
Counsel to the NIS, Mr Jimoh Adamu, informed the court that he had just filed a counter affidavit to oppose Odili’s suit.
Adamu sought a brief adjournment to enable him put his house in order.
Odili’s counsel, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe did not oppose the request for a short adjournment.
Justice Mohammed then adjourned the matter until Sept. 28 for hearing.
The ex-Rivers’ governor, whose wife is a Supreme Court justice, had dragged the NIS to the Federal High Court challenging the seizure of his passport at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja for undisclosed reasons.
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit, he claimed that the international passport with number B50031305 was seized from him on June 20 by operatives of the service.
Odili prayed the court to compel the two respondents to release the passport to him.
He also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction against the service from further harassing, embarrassing, intimidating or interfering with his fundamental right to freedom of movement.
The former governor also demanded a written apology for the embarrassment caused him by the service.
In a counter affidavit, the service justified the seizure of Odili’s passport and faulted his claims in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/965/2021.
“The applicant’s passport was seized because he is on the service’s (NIS’) watch list as requested by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
“It is the government’s policy that streamlines the security agencies present at the point of entry/exit from the country.
“The respondents (NIS and its Comptroller-General) are the lead agency for the above stated function.
“All security agencies collaborate by submitting list of any person on the watch list to the respondents
“By virtue of Section 31 of the Immigration Act 2015, the respondents are empowered to prevent the departure from Nigeria where there is a request to arrest such a person in the public interest as requested in the instant case by the EFCC.
“By the above section of the Immigration Act, the respondents are empowered to seize the applicant’s international passport because he was watch listed sequel to EFCC requested,” it said.
The NIS argued that Odili’s suit was premature as he allegedly failed to meet the condition precedent to the filing of such suits.
“This action is premature and incompetent as the applicant failed to serve pre-action notice on the service as condition precedent before filing this suit.”
Education
12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools
12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools
A 12-year-old Nigerian from Connecticut, USA, Eniola Shokunbi, has designed an air filter to reduce spread of air borne diseases in the US schools.
The design aims at creating low-cost air filters for classrooms.
The Connecticut State Bond Commission has approved $11.5 million in funding for the design.
Eniola in her fifth grade at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy of Middletown, they were tasked with creating a solution to enhance safety in schools during potential future pandemics.
Therefore, to combat airborne viruses like COVID-19, she developed a simple but effective air filter system.
Design
Shokunbi’s air filter design showcases both innovation and cost-effectiveness. The unit is constructed using a simple combination of components: a box fan, four furnace filters, duct tape, and cardboard.
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This ingenious assembly results in a remarkably low production cost of approximately $60 per unit. This makes it a highly affordable alternative to commercial air purifiers.
Eniola Shokunbi said, “The air goes through all the sides, and it comes out of the top. So it filters in and out.”
With support from scientists at the University of Connecticut, UConn, Eniola’s design underwent rigorous testing.
The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, confirmed that the device effectively eliminates over 99% of airborne viruses, showcasing its potential to significantly improve classroom safety.
The recent approval by the State Bond Commission allocates $11.5 million for the implementation of these air filters across Connecticut schools.
This funding is part of UConn’s SAFE-CT: Supplemental Air Filtration for Education Program, which aims to ensure that every public school classroom has access to these vital air purification systems.
Eniola’s vision extends beyond Connecticut; she aspires to see her air filters implemented in classrooms nationwide.
“A lot of people don’t realize that the only thing standing between them and getting sick is science,” Eniola Shokunbi said.
Also, she emphasized the importance of investing in scientific solutions for children’s health.
12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools
Education
Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education
Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education
Alausa made the call when the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund led by its Chairman, Sen. Muntari Dandutse, visited the ministry for an oversight function.
Alausa, who was newly posted to the ministry, decried the high rate of out-of-school children, saying that with enough fund allocation, the menace would be tackled.
“We have up to 20 million out-of-school children.
“I met with the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School, who said that the 20 million was even under-quoted.
“It is about 40 million to 50 million. This is a danger that can consume everybody. We have to make these schools work.
“Former President Goodluck Jonathan built about 137 Almajiri schools during his tenure, but today, it is sad that only a few of these schools are operational,” he said.
Alausa said that there was a lot of infrastructural decay in the schools, adding that with the Almajiri Commission established by an act of Parliament, the ministry would empower the children.
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He, however, called for more funding to achieve the desired goal of ensuring that out-of-school children were taken off the streets.
The minister further said that the ministry would find a way of keeping children in school by making the Home Grown Feeding Programme viable and sustainable.
“We will design the nutrition, we will ensure that the children get good nutrition which will translate into better brain development, and enable us to develop human capital,” he said.
He also said that the nation was churning out graduates that were not employable.
“We have to refocus, and the way we are refocusing is that going forward, we will focus on Science Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences (STEMM).
“Today, we have hospitals built, infrastructure is there and funded, but we do not have medical personnel to run them.
“We will also focus on technical, and vocational education. We will encourage 80 per cent practical training and 20 per cent theory,” she said.
The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Muntari Dandutse, said that the Senate would collaborate with the ministry to make education a priority in the country.
Dandutse also called on the minister to give attention to the issues of security and power supply to higher institutions.
“Most of the allocation to the universities is going to the payment of electricity bills. We need to work together to ensure that they have an uninterrupted power supply,” he said.
Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education
NAN
Education
FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities
FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities
In a significant policy shift, Nigeria’s newly appointed Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced the abolition of the 18-year admission benchmark for tertiary institutions across the country.
During his inaugural press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, he also indicated plans to review the nation’s education policy.
Despite these changes, Alausa reaffirmed that there will be no reversal of the Federal Government’s recent decision to invalidate over 22,700 degree certificates obtained by Nigerians from certain “fake” universities in neighboring Togo and the Benin Republic.
This move aims to uphold the integrity of the nation’s education system.
Emphasizing the need for practical education, Alausa noted that the current system cannot continue producing graduates without corresponding job opportunities, which has contributed to Nigeria’s rising unemployment rates.
To address this, he announced plans for the federal government to partner with private sector operators to provide training and development opportunities for students, unlocking their potential for future employment.
Additionally, Alausa expressed a commitment to empowering universities of agriculture to adopt commercial farming practices as a strategic approach to combat food insecurity in the country.
FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities
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